Fine Gael politician Jerry Buttimer said there should be more LGBT characters in children’s television.

The Cork South Central TD told The Star: “The curriculum here has changed to reflect diversity and inclusivity of our population and I think any attempt to normalise the LGBT community will be welcomed.

“I think over time we will see the normalisation and the socialisation around it. I’m sure cartoons will eventually do that.

“You see it in many soap operas and TV programmes how the LGBT community have been normalised over the years and I think the same will apply in a wide variety of outlets in terms of educating young people.”

Mr Buttimer was responding to the interview given to PinkNews by Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Norman Lamb, who said: “The legislation very clearly says that a loving relationship between two people of the same sex is of equal value, so in everything that we then do, as a society, we need to reinforce that, not deny it.

Asked whether this means he’d like to see gay characters in shows like Peppa Pig, he said: “If you impose arbitrary limits, you’re saying that actually at heart, it’s not equatable. It should absolutely not be out of bounds, which it appears to be at the moment.

“If we’re not, it still tells that teenager, who is struggling to come to terms with her sexuality, that there is something not quite normal about how they feel. And that puts unfair strain on that individual which we should not be prepared to tolerate.”

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